Abstract: Methods, processes, apparatus, equipment and systems are disclosed for converting carboxylic acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst. The method combines a homogenous and heterogeneous catalyst in one or more reactors to increase the conversion of carboxylic acids compared to using a homogenous and/or heterogeneous catalyst independently. The invention converts free fatty acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst such that the reaction mixture contains sufficiently low free fatty acids and the amount of free fatty acids in the product stream leaving the process remains stable over time.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for monitoring a subject, and particularly, for inferring an underlying brain state present in absence of current conditions. In some aspects, a method for monitoring the subject is provided including steps of receiving physiological feedback from at least one sensor configured to acquire physiological information from locations associated with a subject's brain, assembling a set of time-series data using the received physiological feedback, and identifying portions of the set of time-series data that indicate a burst suppression state. The method also includes identifying a burst characteristic profile associated with a burst pattern determined from the identified portions, and comparing the burst characteristic against a reference set of burst profiles.

Abstract: Described herein are methods for determining a Caucasian subject's susceptibility to having or developing a complement-mediated disease comprising determining in the Caucasian subject the identity of one or more haplotypes, wherein the presence of one or more of the haplotypes indicates the subject's susceptibility for having or developing a complement-mediated disease.

Abstract: Methods useful for preparing central nervous system (CNS) derived extracellular matrix (ECM) materials, including powders and gels are provided. Also provided are CNS ECM preparations prepared according to those methods, and methods of treating a patient or mammal with CNS injury.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a patient experiencing an administration of at least one anesthetic drug. In certain embodiments, the method includes arranging sensors configured to acquire physiological data from a patient and reviewing the physiological data from the sensors and an indication received from an input. The method also includes assembling the physiological data into sets of time-series data and determining, from the sets of time-series data, a first set of signals in a first frequency range and a second set of signals in a second frequency range, the first set of signals describing a transient oscillation signature and the second set of signals describing a target wave signature. The method further includes identifying, using the transient oscillation and target wave signatures, a degree of sedation consistent with the administration of the anesthetic drug, and generating a report indicative of the degree of sedation induced by the drug.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring a patient includes a sensor configured to acquire physiological data from a patient and a processor configured to receive the physiological data from the at least one sensor. The processor is also configured to apply a spectral estimation framework that utilizes structured time-frequency representations defined by imposing, to the physiological data, a prior distributions on a time-frequency plane that enforces spectral estimates that are smooth in time and sparse in a frequency domain. The processor is further configured to perform an iteratively re-weighted least squares algorithm to perform yield a denoised time-varying spectral decomposition of the physiological data and generate a report indicating a physiological state of the patient.

Abstract: A seat system for a vehicle includes a seat having a seat bottom on which a person can sit. An intermediate support structure is secured to the seat and the vehicle which allows the seat to rotate relative to the vehicle. An actuator can interact with the seat to cause the seat to rotate relative to the vehicle. One or more sensors can each measure an aspect of motion. A processor can (i) receive input from each of the one or more sensors, (ii) determine from this input a measure of rotation of the vehicle away from a nominal, level horizontal orientation, and (iii) utilize the input to determine a desired rotation of the seat. An angle that the seat has been rotated away from a nominal, level orientation is more than insubstantially larger than an angle that the vehicle has rotated away from a nominal, level horizontal orientation.

Abstract: Systems and methods for monitoring and/or controlling a brain state of a subject are provided. In certain embodiments, the method includes acquiring physiological data from sensors including electrophysiological sensors and optical sensors, assembling, using data from the electrophysiological sensors, a time-series signal indicative of a brain activity of the subject, and identifying, using the time-series signal, a burst suppression state described by a burst suppression period and a burst period. The method also includes computing, using data from the optical sensors, parameters associated with the burst suppression state, the parameters indicative of least one of a metabolic process and a hemodynamic process, and estimating, using the parameters, time-series signal, and burst period, a response function describing a time course of the parameters correlated with a burst during the burst suppression period.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and controlling the administration of at least one drug having anesthetic properties are provided. In certain embodiments, the method includes assembling physiological data, obtained from a plurality of sensors placed on a subject, into sets of time-series data, separating, from the sets of time-series data, a plurality of low frequency signals, and determining, from the plurality of low frequency signals, at least one of coherence information and synchrony information. The method can also include identifying, using the at least one of the coherence information and the synchrony information, spatiotemporal signatures indicative of at least one of a current state and a predicted future state of the patient consistent with the administration of at least one drug having anesthetic properties and generating a report indicating at least one of the current state and the predicted future state of the patient induced by the drug.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions and medical devices, and in particular, biodegradable scaffolds capable of repairing and replacing cartilagenous meniscuses. Also provided herein are methods of using scaffolds for treating degenerative tissue disorders. In certain embodiments, such scaffolds can promote tissue regeneration of a temporal mandibular joint (TMJ) meniscus.

Abstract: A system for combining a payment mechanism with an offer to a consumer is described. The system includes a virtual payment account number generation engine to generate virtual payment account numbers that can be used by a consumer in a payment transaction at a merchant, the virtual payment account number generation service also operable to take a portion of the virtual payment account number and send it as a checkout code to a consumer using the consumer's mobile device, and an offer generation engine used to set rules for an offer to be sent to consumers, create a fund for the offer, and determine individual consumer's eligibility for the offer. The offer is associated with the checkout code such that the offer is processed as part of the payment during the payment transaction using the virtual payment account number.

Abstract: Methods, processes, apparatus, equipment and systems are disclosed for converting carboxylic acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst. The method combines a homogenous and heterogeneous catalyst in one or more reactors to increase the conversion of carboxylic acids compared to using a homogenous and/or heterogeneous catalyst independently. The invention converts free fatty acids into esters by esterification with alcohol and a dual catalyst such that the reaction mixture contains sufficiently low free fatty acids and the amount of free fatty acids in the product stream leaving the process remains stable over time.

Abstract: An apparatus for use in an active suspension system includes a mass damper for damping a first vertical resonance of a wheel having vertical and horizontal diameters. The wheel defines a wheel plane that passes through a center of the wheel and the wheel's vertical and horizontal diameters. The wheel also defines a transverse wheel plane that is perpendicular to the wheel plane and that intersects the wheel-plane along the vertical diameter. The mass damper includes a damping mass coupled to the wheel. The damping mass is constrained from motion relative to the wheel in all but a vertical direction and has a mass distribution that is asymmetric relative to the transverse wheel plane.

Abstract: A method and system for determining the state of a patients brain under anesthesia. The present invention recognizes that anesthesia compounds induce different signatures in physiological characteristics of the patient under anesthesia and aids interpretation of physiological characteristics and signatures therein based on a selected anesthesia compound. The present invention aids the monitoring and/or interpreting of the physiological characteristics to a state of the patient's brain.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring and controlling the administration of at least one drug having anesthetic properties are provided. The method includes arranging a plurality of sensors configured to acquire physiological data from a patient and reviewing the physiological data from the plurality of sensors and an indication from a user interface. The method also includes assembling the physiological data into sets of time-series data and analyzing the sets of time-series data to determine signature profiles consistent with the administration of at least one drug. The method further includes identifying, using signature profiles, at least one of a current state and a predicted future state of the patient, controlling the administration of the least one drug to attain the predicted future state, and then generating a report including information regarding at least one of the current state and the predicted future state of the patient induced by the drug.

Abstract: A system for combining a payment mechanism with an offer to a consumer is described. The system includes a virtual payment account number generation engine to generate virtual payment account numbers that can be used by a consumer in a payment transaction at a merchant, the virtual payment account number generation service also operable to take a portion of the virtual payment account number and send it as a checkout code to a consumer using the consumer's mobile device, and an offer generation engine used to set rules for an offer to be sent to consumers, create a fund for the offer, and determine individual consumer's eligibility for the offer. The offer is associated with the checkout code such that the offer is processed as part of the payment during the payment transaction using the virtual payment account number.

Abstract: An aerial disposal and dispersal of cremated remains device is presented. It is used to spread the remains of loved ones over a desired area. The device comprises a canister and a mortar, the canister being cylindrical in shape having cardboard walls, the canister further containing an igniter and burster charge in an inner cardboard tube, such inner tube being fitted with an upper cap, the mortar being cylindrical in shape with steel walls, the mortar further comprising a lifting charge which sits below an obturator disc, the obturator disc having a hole in the center, the canister fitting inside the mortar such that the canister's igniter sits atop the hole in the obturator disc. At least one device is fitted to a horizontal member to launch remains from any location.

Abstract: An aerial disposal and dispersal of cremated remains device is presented. It is used to spread the remains of loved ones over a desired area. The device comprises a canister and a mortar, the canister being cylindrical in shape having cardboard walls, the canister further containing an igniter and burster charge in an inner cardboard tube, such inner tube being fitted with an upper cap, the mortar being cylindrical in shape with steel walls, the mortar further comprising a lifting charge which sits below an obturator disc, the obturator disc having a hole in the center, the canister fitting inside the mortar such that the canister's igniter sits atop the hole in the obturator disc. At least one device is fitted to a horizontal member to launch remains from any location.

Abstract: A system for combining a payment mechanism with an offer to a consumer is described. The system includes a virtual payment account number generation engine to generate virtual payment account numbers that can be used by a consumer in a payment transaction at a merchant, the virtual payment account number generation service also operable to take a portion of the virtual payment account number and send it as a checkout code to a consumer using the consumer's mobile device, and an offer generation engine used to set rules for an offer to be sent to consumers, create a fund for the offer, and determine individual consumer's eligibility for the offer. The offer is associated with the checkout code such that the offer is processed as part of the payment during the payment transaction using the virtual payment account number.

Abstract: A System and method of orchestrating failover operations of servers providing services to an internal computer network includes a DR server configured to execute a control script that performs a failover operation. Information needed to perform the failover operation is stored on the DR server thereby eliminating the need to store agents on each of the application's primary and backup servers. The DR server may provide a centralized location for the maintenance an update of the failover procedures for the internal network's redundant services. A failover operation may be initiated by an authorized user in communication with the internal computer network.